Methods and compositions for multiplex amplification of nucleic acids

ABSTRACT

A method is described for predetermining ratios of primer pairs present in a single reaction vessel so as to achieve approximately equimolar yield of products. The ratios are determined as a function of the length of the amplicon and the length of other amplicons being simultaneously tested. The primers may desirably be for p53 gene sequences.

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a divisional application of parent application Ser. No. 09/989,441, filed Nov. 21, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,579, which is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 09/099,301, filed Jun. 18, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,179, which is a non-provisional of application Ser. No. 60/050,405 filed on Jun. 20, 1997, the text of which are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a simple and versatile method to amplify in vitro a specific segment of DNA for subsequent study (Saiki et al., Science 230:1350 (1985); Saiki et al., Science 235:487 (1985)). The PCR method has gained widespread use in biomedical research, and has revolutionized the accurate and early diagnosis of many inherited and acquired genetic disorders (Eisenstein, N. Engl. J. Med. 322:178 (1990)), particularly those caused by point mutations or small insertions or deletions including sickle cell anemia (Saiki et al., Science 230:1350 (1985)), hemophilia A (Kogan et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 317:985 (1987)), Tay-Sach's disease (Myerowitz, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:3955 (1988); Myerowitz et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:18587 (1988)), cystic fibrosis (Riordan et al., Science 245:1066 (1989)), and many others. With PCR, it is also possible to detect heterozygotic carriers in recessive disorders.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used for a variety of purposes. PCR can be used to amplify genomic DNA or other sources of nucleic acids for analysis. It is often desirable to be able to achieve equimolar yields of different length amplicons when performing multiplex PCR or multiple PCR reactions. Having an approximately equimolar yield of amplicons is particularly useful, for example, when approximately equal representation of certain regions of genomic DNA amplified after multiplex PCR is desired. Prior to the methods of present invention, finding the appropriate experimental conditions useful to achieve this result has been difficult because PCR amplifies nucleic acids having different lengths with different efficiencies. The yield of longer amplicons is often less than the yield of shorter amplicons because of those differences in PCR amplification efficiency. FIG. 1 shows the difference in yields that one might expect, for example, when starting with equal primer concentrations used to amplify amplicons of varying lengths: A, B, C. There is a continuing need in the art for methods which permit the amplification of different sequences with the same efficiency so that approximately equimolar products result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of performing multiplex PCR which achieve approximately equimolar products.

It is another object of the invention to provide a set of primers for amplification of p53.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a set of primers for amplification of p53 to achieve approximately equimolar products.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a mixture of primers for performing multiplex PCR.

These and other objects of the invention are provided by one or more of the embodiments provided below. In one embodiment of the invention a method of performing multiple polymerase chain reactions in a single vessel is provided. The method comprises the steps of priming DNA synthesis on a template in a vessel with at least two sets of primers. The primers are present in the vessel at a predetermined ratio which is described by the formula: C _(A) =C _(L)(L _(A) ÷L _(L))² C_(A) is the concentration of primers for an amplicon A. C_(L) is the concentration of primer for the longest amplicon. L_(A) is the length of the amplicon A. L_(L) is the length of the longest amplicon.

Another embodiment provided by the invention is a method of performing multiple polymerase chain reactions in a single vessel. The method comprises priming DNA synthesis on a genomic p53 template in a vessel with ten sets of primers which amplify exons 2–11 of p53. The primers are shown in SEQ ID NO: ID NOS: 1–20. The primers are present in the vessel at the following ratio: exon 2 (89.4): exon 3 (26.9): exon 4 (450): exon 5 (245.8): exon 6 (138.3): exon 7 (101.8): exon 8 (193.0): exon 9 (70.8): exon 10 (146.5): exon 11 (177.3).

According to still another embodiment of the invention a set of primers for performing multiple polymerase chain reactions in a single vessel is provided. The set comprises twenty primers having sequences as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1–20.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention a mixture of primers for performing multiplex polymerase chain reaction is provided. The primers are present in the mixture at a predetermined ratio to each other. The ratio of the concentrations of the primers is described by: C _(A) =C _(L)(L _(A) ÷L _(L))² wherein C_(A) is the concentration of primers for an amplicon A; wherein C_(L) is the concentration of primer for the longest amplicon; wherein L_(A) is the length of the amplicon A; and wherein L_(L) is the length of the longest amplicon.

The present invention thus provides the art with a method useful for performing multiplex PCR. This method is particularly useful for amplification of multiple exons of p53. Moreover, a particular primer set useful for performing such multiplex PCR is also provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the difference in yields that one might expect, for example, when starting with equal primer concentrations used to amplify amplicons of varying lengths: A, B, C.

FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship for given values X and L_(L), using the amplicons from different exons of the human p53 gene as an example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is a discovery of the present invention that approximately equimolar yields of amplicons of varying lengths can be easily produced by multiplex PCR. It has been determined that varying the primer concentrations as a function of the lengths of amplicons yields approximately equimolar amounts of amplicons of varying lengths. The relationship between primer concentration and the length of amplicons is as follows: C _(A) =C _(L)(L _(A) /L _(L))^(X)

wherein C_(A)=the concentration of primers for an amplicon A;

-   -   C_(L)=the concentration of primer for the longest amplicon;     -   L_(A)=the length of amplicon A;     -   L_(L)=the length of the longest amplicon; and     -   X is usually not zero and is often between one and three.

This relationship can be placed in a computer readable medium or be used with a computer system if desired.

FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship for given values X and L_(L), using the amplicons from different exons of the human p53 gene as an example. Using primer concentrations as set forth, for example in FIG. 2, one skilled in the art can determine the optimum set of primer concentrations to yield approximately equimolar yields of varying length amplicons in a multiplex or multiple PCR. Preferably, primers having both comparable base composition and comparable melting temperatures are used. Also preferably, Mg⁺² concentration, annealing temperatures, and cycling times of the PCR are optimized prior to choosing the desired set of primer concentrations in accordance with the present invention.

PCR techniques applicable to the present invention include inter alia those discussed in PCR PRIMER: A LABORATORY MANUAL, Dieffenbach, C. W. and Dveksler, G. S., eds., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (1995).

The present application further provides primer sequences, primer concentrations, and experimental conditions useful in the amplification of the coding region of the human p53 gene. Particularly useful primers for amplification of exons of the p53 gene are set forth in Table 1.

TABLE 1 p53 Primer Set 20 primers in 1 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 0.1 mM EDTA, sequences: Exon 2: 5′-TCATGCTGGATCCCCACTTTTCCTCTTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 1) 5′TGGCCTGCCCTTCCAATGGATCCACTCA-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 2) Exon 3: 5′-AATTCATGGGACTGACTTTCTGCTCTTGTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 3) 5′-TCCAGGTCCCAGCCCAACCCTTGTCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 4) Exon 4: 5′-GTCCTCTGACTGCTCTTTTCACCCATCTAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 5) 5′-GGGATACGCCCAGGCATTGAAGTCTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 6) Exon 5: 5′-CTTGTGCCCTGACTTTCAACTCTGTCTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 7) 5′-TGGGCAACCAGCCCTGTCGTCTCTCCA-3 (SEQ ID NO: 8) Exon 6: 5′-CCAGGCCTCTGATTCCTCACTGATTGCTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 9) 5′-GCCACTGACAACCACCCTTAACCCCTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 10) Exon 7: 5′-GCCTCATCTTGGGCCTGTGTTATCTCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 11) 5′-GGCCAGTGTGCAGGGTGGCAAGTGGCTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 12) Exon 8: 5′-GTAGGACCTGATTTCCTTACTGCCTCTTGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 13) 5′-ATAACTGCACCCTTGGTCTCCTCCACCGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 14) Exon 9: 5′-CACTTTTATCACCTTTCCTTGCCTCTTTCC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 15) 5′-AACTTTCCACTTGATAAGAGGTCCCAAGAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 16) Exon 10: 5′-ACTTACTTCTCCCCCTCCTCTGTTGCTGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 17) 5′-ATGGAATCCTATGGCTTTCCAACCTAGGAAG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 18) Exon 11: 5′-CATCTCTCCTCCCTGCTTCTGTCTCCTAC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 19) 5′-CTGACGCACACCTATTGCAAGCAAGGGTTC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 20)

Table 2 shows particularly useful concentrations of the primers set forth in Table 1 for multiplex PCR amplification using the experimental conditions set forth in Table 3.

TABLE 2 Primer Concentrations in p53 Primer Set

Amplicon Length Primer Concs Longest 4 368 bp 450.0 nM 5 272 bp 245.8 nM 8 241 bp 193.0 nM 11 231 bp 177.3 nM 10 210 bp 146.5 nM 6 204 bp 138.3 nM 7 175 bp 101.8 nM 2 164 bp  89.4 nM 9 146 bp  70.8 nM Shortest 3  90 bp  26.9 nM

TABLE 3 Multiplex PCR Start with 250 ng of Template DNA. PCR Components for 100 ul PCR in 0.2 ml thin walled tubes: Stock Conc Final Conc for 1 reaction Buffer (No Mg) 10 X 1 X 10.0 ul MgCl₂ 25 mM 2.5 mM 10.0 ul dATP 10 mM 200 uM 2.0 ul dCTP 10 mM 200 uM 2.0 ul dGTP 10 mM 200 uM 2.0 ul dTTP 10 mM 200 uM 2.0 ul Taq GOLD 5 U/ul 10 U 2.0 ul p53 Primer Set 20 X 1 X 5.0 ul Water Human genomic 250 ng DNA Total Volume 100.0 ul Final Concentrations in Buffer (No Mg) are 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.3), 50 mM KCl Taq GOLD is AmpliTaq Gold ™ from Perkin Elmer catalog # N808-0243 PCR Cycles: 35 Cycles: 94 C. 10 min 94 C. 30 sec 60 C. 30 sec 72 C. 45 sec 72 C. 10 min To visualize amplicons by gel Analysis: Visualize PCR Products on 4% NuSieve Agarose Gel NuSieve ™ Agarose 3:1 is from FMC catalog # 50092 Load 5 ul of PCR + loading buffer Use 50 bp Ladder (Gibco/BRL catalog # 10416-014) as size marker Run gel at 125 Volts for 30 min. to 90 min. Amplicon Length Expected PCR Products: Exon 2 164 bp Exon 3 90 bp Exon 4 368 bp Exon 5 272 bp Exon 6 204 bp Exon 7 175 bp Exon 8 241 bp Exon 9 146 bp Exon 10 210 bp Exon 11 225 bp Order in Gel: Exon 4 368 bp Exon 5 272 bp Exon 8 241 bp Exon 11 225 bp Exon 10 210 bp Exon 6 204 bp Exon 7 175 bp Exon 2 164 bp Exon 9 146 bp Exon 3 90 bp

Using the methods and reagents provided herein, we achieved multiplex PCR amplification of coding regions shown of the human p53 gene in approximately equimolar amounts. That desirable result was achieved in a single-tube reaction. The achievement of such desirable results with the remarkable convenience of a single tube reaction further illustrates the contribution to the art made by the present invention.

The methods and compositions of the present invention are useful in virtually any context in which equimolar yields of various PCR products are desired. Such contexts include without limitation paternity testing, forensic analysis, genetic screening, polymorphism detection, and mutation analyses. The present invention can be used to amplify nucleic acids for all forms of sequence analysis known to those skilled in the art. Sequence analysis techniques includes, for example, dideoxy-sequencing and sequence analysis using high-density nucleic acid arrays: the GeneChip® probe arrays or VLSIPS™ technology of Affymetrix Inc. High density nucleic acid arrays are discussed for example in Chee, M., Yang, R, Hubbell, E., Berno, A., Huang, X. C., Stern, D., Winkler, J., Lockhart, D. J., Morris, M. S., & Fodor, S. P., Science 5287, 610–614 (1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,934, and International Publication No. WO 95/11995 corresponding to PCT Application No. PCT/US94/12305.

The p53 gene and its protein product are discussed in Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Alberts, B., Bray, D., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., and Watson, J. D., Garland Publishing (1994) at pages 889 and 1284–1289.

It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of any appended claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 

1. A mixture of primer pairs for performing multiplex polymerase chain reaction, wherein each of the primer pairs is present in the mixture at a predetermined ratio to each other, wherein the ratio of the molar concentrations of the primer pairs is described by: C_(A) =C_(L) (L_(A) ÷L_(L )) ² wherein C_(A) is the concentration of primers for an amplicon A; wherein C_(L) is the concentration of primers for the longest amplicon; wherein L_(A) is the length in base pairs of the amplicon A; wherein L_(L) is the length in base pairs of the longest amplicon: wherein L_(A) is not equal to L_(L.)
 2. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 4 primers.
 3. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 6 primers.
 4. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 8 primers.
 5. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 10 primers.
 6. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 12 primers.
 7. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 14 primers.
 8. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 16 primers.
 9. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least IS primers.
 10. The mixture of claim 1 which comprises at least 20 primers.
 11. A mixture of primers for performing multiplex polymerase chain reaction, comprising at least six primers which are present in the mixture at a predetermined ratio to each other, wherein the ratio of the molar concentrations of the primers is described by: C_(A) =C_(L) (L_(A) L_(L))² wherein C_(A) is the concentration of primers for an amplicon A; wherein C_(L) is the concentration of primers for the longest amplicon; wherein L_(A) is the length in base pairs of the amplicon A; wherein L_(L) is the length in base pairs of the longest amplicon: and wherein LA is not equal to L_(L.)
 12. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 8 primers.
 13. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 110 primers.
 14. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 12 primers.
 15. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 14 primers.
 16. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 16 primers.
 17. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 18 primers.
 18. The mixture of claim 11 which comprises at least 20 primers. 